Passed a big test on Friday. I put together a batch of rice, whole milk, sugar and cinnamon at 8am and left it to cook until 12am in a low oven so that it would turn into Teurgoule, the Normandy style rice pudding where a dark crust forms and keeps the other ingredients moist, the rice loses its integrity and becomes more like pudding whilst the cream in the milk separates from the rice forming a velvety custard. My kid is having her school lessons at home, so I masked up and delivered a piping hot portion to her friend so that they could FaceTime their lunch break together and share the same dessert. The test is that my kid’s friend’s family are from Normandy. The dish passed!

It’s basically 1 litre full cream milk (not semi skimmed), this is heated until near boiled, add to this 75g round rice (I use Japanese) which has been rinsed and drained. Stir the hot milk and rice together for 5 minutes. Take off the stove, pour in 100g of sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder which has been mixed together and stir (a whisk will help the cinnamon become incorporated but don’t froth up the liquid into bubbles). Some vanilla at this point is optional AS IS A PINCH OF SALT. Then, without the lid, put the pot into the oven at 150C.
3 hours later the result will be a delicious rice pudding, but if you leave it for 4 hours or longer the rice loses its consistency and becomes more “puddingy”. My Japanese partner prefers the transformation, says it reminds him of Ohagi (a not overly sweet dessert made with glutinous rice that has been pounded to half-mochi half-rice texture).
If you make a bigger batch you might need to cook it for another hour or so for the rice to take on this special texture.
Teurgoule is an extraordinarily good rice pudding, I made it for the first time on the request of my daughter who is extremely interested in the French Revolution, it dates back to then when rice was only just becoming introduced. The smell whilst it’s cooking is glorious.

EDIT TO ADD - ADVICE ON ADDING SALT